As used herein, the term “biological agent” means a living organism that can serve a desired function in a particular environment when introduced on a carrier substrate into the environment. Representative biological agents for such purposes include algae, bacteria, fungi, insect eggs, metazoan eggs, moss protonemas, plant seeds, protozoa, and viruses. By “coating” is meant the uptake and reversible retention of such a biological agent onto or within the lignocellulosic matrix of a plant biomass material.
It is well known in the art that biomass-derived materials can serve as useful carriers for biological agents. Representative examples follow.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,877 discloses an organic substrate containing cyanophycea (blue-green algae) and bryophyte protonemas (moss) for producing vegetation on bare land.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,51,9198 discloses admixing protozoa and bacteria with wood chips for bioremediation of contaminated soil.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,504 discloses attaching beneficial insect eggs to a string which is then directly applied to plants.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,467 discloses lignin-based pest control formulations containing Bacillus thuringiensis (“B. thuringiensis”), Baculoviridae, e.g., Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus, protozoa such as Nosema spp., fungi such as Beauveria spp., and nematodes.
U.S. Patent Application No. U.S. 2010/0229465 A1 discloses a germination and plant growth medium of processed rice hull to which may be incorporated in or attached to virae, bacteria, fungi such as trichoderma, fungi spores, insect eggs such as predatory nematodes, and plant seeds.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,317,891 discloses a method of enhancing soil growth using biochar containing MycoGrow™ mycorrhizal fungi (Fungi Perfecti LLC, Olympia, Wash.).